The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-11-09
THE HUMAN SKIN.
CONVERTING MANS CUTICLE
INTO CHASTITY SOUVENIRS.
Card Cases Made From an EXecu'
ted Murderer's Skin - Human
Hides Turned IntoEarious Ar
ticles by Medical Students.

The tanning of human skin is a COM
mon practice. 1t carried on to q much
greater extent than most persons sup
pose, not only in Europe, but in this
country. All sorts of articles are made
of it, and it is said to be lasting and ele-
giant.
The fact has lately come prominently
to the surface and attracted widespread
attention in consequence of the scandal
created in Paris by the Pranzini business.
This man, as everybody has read, COM
mittcd three brutal murders and was be,
headed. His body went to the dissecting
table of the College of Medicine, and a
man named Godinet, who was an attend
ant in the laboratory, secured some OF
the skin from the legs and presented 1t to
detective named Rossignol. He had it
tanned and converted into card-cases.
Pranzinis skin was remarkably white,
and it is said, the cases were the most
beautiful that had been seen for long
time.
Rossignol, proud of his mementoes Of
the notorious criminal, gave them to two
of his superior officers, Taylor and Goron
They, of course, showed the card-cascs
and explained where they had come
from. Many were shocked and the mat
ter got to the ears of the authorities. DR..
Brouardel, Dean of the Faculty of the
College of Medicine, caused an inquiry to
be made, and Godinet was discharged.
The ghastly and absorbing subject
having been broachcd at 4 reception at
the house of the famous DR.. w. n Ham
mond, in Fifty-fourth street, that gentle
man was asked for information. In the
course of his remarks DR.. Hammond
stated that the tanning of human skin
began with the curing of other skins
of every description. He said:
I'm early times the victors in fight
tanned the skins Of the vanQuished and
hung them out on the tents as trophies
Later they made gourds of them to carry
water, thongs to bind faggots and covers
for shields, as we'll as ornaments. Women
hung trinkets on strings made of human
skin, and in some tribes tied the babies
on the backboards with sinews and
muscles.
"The human cuticlc is fine, supple,
tough and durable. 1t is easily tanned
in the usual way and keeps out water,
cold and heat. Medical students are in
the habit of tanning it or having it tanned
and getting useful and ornamental articles
made of it. They send it to their friends
as purses, pocketbooks, card-cases, slip
pers and covers of books, music, foot
Stools and hand bags.
"Gloves of most beautiful texture have
been made from the hide of women, and,
indeed, there arc ladies who wear moth
ing else A celebrated actress uses gloves
of this description half way up her arms,
and people often wonder where she OBJ
tains gloves of such rare and exquisite
fincncss and finish.
"There is a physician well known
among the faculty in certain city out.
side of New York whose shoes arc
always made of negro hide. He has dis,
covered that a colored mars skin makes
the best shoes, and he has given the
preference to that kind of leather. Hc
has slippers made of it, too, and tobacco
pouches and instrument cases.
Il have never been in his Office or met
the gentleman myself, but 1 have heard
that he has large chair covered with
it."
DR.. Hammond stated that there is
rich creole in New Orleans who is said
to have hundreds of articles made of
human skin, and who will pay hand
somelv at any time for something Of that
nature. She began with q passion for
rats skin. but when that became common
she went over to her own species.
Indeed, we need not 90 so far as
Louisiana for an instance OF that kind,'
said the Doctor. "There is right here
on Murray Hill fashionable and we'll
known young lady who has quite large
collection of articles made OF human
skin, and net colorcd one among them.
was very much amused, and 1 must
say somewhat startled, when Il young fel-
low, by being brought face to face with
a case of this kind.
81 saw a fellows student take the skins
off tho legs of subject in the dis
secting room and-well-tan them. l
wondered what he was al, but | said
nothing. A few weeks after that his
sweetheart came to town. and I was in
troduced to her. What was my amaze
ment as 1 took my hat off to her TO SEQ
hanging on her arm a silver-clasped bag
made out of the skin of the subject. /
almost tainted Ikncw it in an instant:
They asked me to dinner, but couldn't
go. The young lady was very much
tickled with her bag, it was so peculiar.
So it was. That night I dreamed Of
subjects legs, and before morning I
must have seen millions of them turned
into ladies' rcticulcs and wearing the
same stiff red hair they had in the dis
secting room.
Coming down to recent times" con-
tinucd DIR. Hammond, "thcre are many
authentic examples in French history or
tie strange fancy for human skin. Many !
greater persons than the Paris police
officers have shown q prtdi!ection for
that leather. Carrot, Rcbespierre, Eiliaut
and many others-mind you, many
others, dressed themselves with garments
made out of human skin. They had
slippers, boots, hats, gloves, roles, vests
and brcechcs made of this stuff, and they
not only wore them openly, but boastcd